Baptisia plant named ‘Grape  Taffy’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of interspecific  Baptisia , ‘Grape Taffy’, characterized by its deep purple flowers, its compact growth habit, and its hardiness in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8.

Botanical classification: Baptisia hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Grape Taffy’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybrid Baptisia plant, botanically known as Baptisia ‘Grape Taffy’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Grape Taffy’. The new cultivar represents a new false indigo, an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing breeding program in Waseca, Minn. The breeding program was established in 1998 with the goal of developing novel interspecific Baptisia hybrids with unique and superior garden attributes.

‘Grape Taffy’ was derived from a cross made in 2004 between an unnamed plant of Baptisia cinera as the female parent and an unnamed plant of Baptisia minor as the male parent. ‘Grape Taffy’ was selected in 2008 as a single unique plant amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in early June of 2008 in Zeeland, Mich. under the direction of the Inventor. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings and tissue culture has determined that characterisitcs of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar as observed for five years in Waseca, Minn. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Grape Taffy’ from other varieties of Baptisia known to the inventor.

-   -   1. ‘Grape Taffy’ exhibits flowers that are deep purple in color.     -   2. ‘Grape Taffy’ exhibits blue-green foliage.     -   3. ‘Grape Taffy’ has a short, upright to mounded and compact         growth habit.     -   4. ‘Grape Taffy’ is hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8.

In comparison to the female parent, an unnamed plant of Baptisia cinera, ‘Grape Taffy’ has deep purple flowers with a yellow keel whereas the female parent has creamy white flowers, ‘Grape Taffy’ also has a more compact growth habit and displays flowers that are more upright compared to the flowers of the female parent that are held at a 45° angle. In addition, the flower spikes of ‘Grape Taffy’ are longer than those of the female parent. In comparison to the male parent, an unnamed plant of Baptisia minor, ‘Grape Taffy’ has deep purple flowers with a yellow keel, whereas the male parent has blue flowers. The flower spikes of the male parent remain erect throughout the flower sequence whereas the flowers of ‘Grape Taffy’ arch towards the end of the flower sequence. The closest comparison cultivars are Baptisia ‘Twilite’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,011) and Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’ (not patented). ‘Twilite’ is also an interspecific hybrid, however it has violet-purple colored flowers, and is much taller in height; reaching 5 feet whereas ‘Grape Taffy’ matures to about 2 feet. ‘Purple Smoke’, which is also an interspecific hybrid, differs from ‘Grape Taffy’ in having lighter violet colored flowers, a taller growth habit and dark gray stems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Baptisia. The photographs were taken of plants and plant parts of a plant four years in age as grown outdoors in Waseca, Minn.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of a plant of ‘Grape Taffy’ in bloom and illustrates the dense, uniform habit and the abundance of flowers stems.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘Grape Taffy’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Baptisia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 4 year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plot in Waseca, Minn. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2001 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Typically June 7th through July 12th in             Waseca, Minn.         -   Plant habit.—Compact and upright.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches 50 cm width and 58 cm in height.         -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8.         -   Culture.—Prefers well-drained to medium moist soils in full             sun, tolerant to lean soils and drought.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility to diseases or pests             has been observed.         -   Root description.—Deep rooted, fibrous.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings, tissue culture is also possible.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Stem description:     -   -   Branch habit.—Very densely branched; average of 7 branches             with an average of 6 secondary branches, and 3 tertiary             branches per secondary branch.         -   Stem size.—Main stem; average of 51 cm (including peduncle)             in length and 4 mm in width (8 mm at base), secondary;             average of 30 cm in length and 4 mm in width, tertiary; an             average of 10 cm in length and 2 mm in width.         -   Stem shape.—Oval.         -   Stem color.—144A to 144B.         -   Stem surface.—Hairless, satiny but slightly glaucous. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Fan-shaped in overall outline.         -   Leaf division.—3-palmate.         -   Leaf internode.—Foliage begins 10 cm from base, an average             of 4.5 cm on main stem and secondary branches.         -   Leaf size.—About 4.7 cm in length and 8.3 cm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—About 69 per stem.         -   Leaflet shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Leaflet base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaflet apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Leaflet venation.—Pinnate pattern, not conspicuous, color             matches leaflet color on the upper and lower surface with             the mid rib of lower surface 146D.         -   Leaflet margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaflet surface.—Glabrous and slightly glaucous on upper and             lower surface.         -   Leaflet color.—Newly expanded upper and lower surface; 146B,             mature; upper and lower surface 137A.         -   Leaflet size.—An average of 4.7 cm in length and 1.8 cm in             width.         -   Petioles.—Average of 1 cm in length and 1.5 mm in width,             clasping to stem at mature nodes, 146C in color, surface is             glabrous and satiny.         -   Stipules.—Narrowly lanceolate in shape, reflexed to stem,             base is truncate to stem, apex is apiculate, average of 1.7             cm in length and 3 mm in width on mature leaves, 137A in             color on upper surface and 137B on lower surface. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal racemes of pea-like flowers on             main with smaller racemes on secondary branches, blooms from             the base to the apex.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 19.8 cm in length and 5.5 cm             in width in mid section.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.≧3 to 4 weeks.         -   Flower size.—About 2.5 cm in depth and about 2 cm in             diameter.         -   Flower fragrance .—Faint.         -   Flower number per inflorescence.—About 28.         -   Peduncle.—Oval in shape, up to 22 cm in length and an             average of 3 mm in width, 144A to 144B in color, surface is             glabrous, satiny and slightly glaucous, flower internode             length averages about 5 mm.         -   Petiole.—About 9 mm in length, about 1.5 mm in width, oval             in shape, color 137B, glabrous and satiny surface.         -   Flower buds.—Kidney-shaped, about 2.2 cm in length and 8 mm             in width, color of petal portion is 79A with exposed keel             portion 2C, calyx portion same as open flowers.         -   Flower type.—Papilionaceous, held at about a 30° angle to             stem (0° vertical).         -   Calyx.—Campanulate, about 1 cm in length and 6 mm in             diameter, surface is glabrous and satiny, 144A in color             suffused with N186A to 147A, persistent.         -   Sepals.—5, fused with the exception of apex of each, free             portion is triangular in shape 3 mm in width and 3 mm in             depth with an acute apex, 147B in color suffused with 79A.         -   Corolla features.—Papilionaceous (4 segments) with a keel, a             banner and 2 lateral wings, lateral wings; obelliptic in             shape, flared to expose keel, about 2.3 cm in length and 7             mm in width, color on outer surface 79A and inner surface             79B with the basal portion 157C, rounded apex, oblique base,             keel; only partially visible, comprised of 2 segments             surrounding reproductive organs, oblong (slightly oblique)             in shape with rounded apex and oblique base, 2.2 cm in             length and 1 cm in width, upper surface and lower surface             are 160C in color with apex suffused with 73A, banner;             orbicular in shape and partially reflexed, about 1.9 cm in             length and 1.6 cm in width, upper and lower surface is 79A             with the basal portion 145B and 150C, apex is rounded with a             single notch, surface is glabrous on all sections.         -   Receptacle.—Disk-shaped, gelatinous, 144A in color, about 3             mm in diameter and 1.2 mm in depth. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil, about 2 cm in length, 1.7 mm in width;             style is 144C in color and 8 mm in length; stigma minute,             too small to read color, ovary is superior with a stipe,             144A in color, 8.5 mm in length and 1.7 mm in width; stipe             is 144C in color, 4 mm in length and 1 mm in width.         -   Androecium.—10 stamens, not united, 2 cm in length and 1 mm             in width, filament is 1.9 cm in length, 1 mm in width and             145C in color; anther is dorsifixed, many amorphously             shaped, about 1 mm in length and width and 165C in color,             pollen is not distinguishable.         -   Fruit and seed.—An inflated pod; 10 produced per             inflorescence (open pollinated), oblong in shape, an average             of 40 mm in length and 10 mm in width, color of outer             surface when mature in early September 165D with spots of             202A, color of inner surface 156 B, dull and rough surface,             wall about 1 mm, seed; about 6 per fruit (open-pollinated),             color 164D with shades of 164A, oval in shape with the hilum             side more or less straight, seed compressed to flattish, 4             mm in length, 3 mm in width and 1.5 mm in thickness. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Baptisia plant named ‘Grape Taffy’ as herein illustrated and described. 